Count Down to Christmas
by Errand Girl
Summary: A Harry Potter Christmas fanfic. I don't own Harry Potter. Marry Christmas. P.S. Harry's a chick.


Harriet sighed. Christmas was just around the corner and all of the lovey-dovey couples were making her depressed. It really sucked when this time of year came around and you had no one to share it with. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table poking at her food with her fork, while Hermione and Ron discussed what they were going to do for the holidays.

"Huh? That's weird." Ron said suddenly.

Harriet looked over at him. "What?"

Ron pointed up and Harriet looked to see and unfamiliar owl fly down and carefully place a small wrapped box in front of her and dropping the letter it had in its beak, before flying off again.

"Little early for mail isn't it?" Hermione said confused.

Harriet casted some hex and other detection spells in case someone was playing a prank. When no alarms went off she took the letter first and opened it. The letter was typed, giving no clue as to who it was from.

_Harriet Potter,_

_In this holiday season I have wished to give you a gift, however only one gift seems insufficient to truly express my feelings to you. As such I will be giving you one gift a day until Christmas, starting from today._

_This first gift is a simple one, however there is beauty in its simplicity. I hope that you will like it._

_Yours Truly._

Harriet put the letter down and turned to the gift. Untying the ribbon wrapped around it she opened the box and looked inside. Inside the box was a pendent on a gold chain. The pendent was a small clear crystal dome with a gold backing, the crystal had been enchanted so that there was a small green flame burning at its centre. Carefully, Harriet pulled out the pendent to get a better look at it.

"How beautiful." Hermione breathed.

"Looks like someone's got a secret admirer." Ron grinned, nudging Harriet teasingly.

Harriet blushed as she looked at the pendent. Then she turned it around so the back was facing her and unclipped the chain, putting it on. Maybe this Christmas wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Day: 2

Harriet sat at the Gryffindor table eating her dinner with the rest of her house. Her pendent hung around her neck and many of the other Gryffindors had asked about it, to which Ron told them Harriet had her own Secret Santa. The screech of an owl caught her attention and she looked up to see the same owl as yesterday. This time it was carrying a must larger box that had small holes in it. The owl carefully placed the box down in front of Harriet then sped off. Harriet untied the ribbon around it and the box lid popped open instantly, to reveal a small chocolate brown Burmese kitten. The kitten had a red ribbon wrapped around its neck with a piece of paper attached. Harriet pulled out the piece of paper and read it.

_Harriet Potter,_

_This little kitten was a rescue from a muggle animal shelter. Lately I have noticed that you have not been making trips to the owlery and I thought that you may be lonely. This little kitten was also lonely, all its siblings had already been adopted, and no one wanted it because it was the runt of the litter. I knew that someone with a kind heart needed to care for this kitten. Someone like you._

_Yours Truly._

_P.S. Her name is Starbright._

Harriet reached out and picked up the little kitten, placing her in her lap. The kitten purred and snuggled into it new warm place. Ron passed Harriet some fish and she fed it to the little kitten. So the one that was sending the gifts, was someone at the school, how else would they know she wasn't visiting the owlery?

Day: 3

Harriet was getting mildly annoyed. The other Gryffindors had begun taking bets on who her 'secret admirer' was, and she was getting sick of it. Her love life was not a reality TV show, it should not be treated as a source of entertainment. The screech of and owl got her attention. The owl was early today. This time it was a smaller box. Harriet opened it and pulled out a snow globe.

The glass globe was about the size of a bludger. Inside was an exact scale model of Hogwarts, and at the bottom was three small figures standing frozen on a lake. Harriet shook the globe gently and gasped. As the fake snow slowly fell the three figures came to life. Now you could clearly see that the three figures were Harriet, Ron and Herminie, and the three were skating across the ice smiling from ear to ear. As the snow settled again the three figures once again came to a stop. Harriet looked at the bottom of the box to find another note, which she picked up and unfolded to read.

_Harriet Potter,_

_I have often heard you refer to Hogwarts as your home, but you have often needed to leave because of the holidays. This is our last year at this school so I would like to give you something to remind you of this place. If you ever feel lonely just give it a shake._

_Yours Truly._

Harriet smiled and gave the snow globe another shake, watching as the three figures danced and played on the ice.

Day: 4

Harriet was coming to look forward to these daily gifts, she only wished that she knew who it was so she could give them some gifts for Christmas. Starbright meowed in her lap and Harriet scratched her ears. Harriet was sitting in her bed after an incident at Quidditch practice, which left her with a sprained ankle. She guessed she was just going to have to hope that Ron and Hermione would make sure no one opened her present and that they got it to her. She shivered as she felt the cold wind blow in through the open window. Honestly, who left it open in the middle of winter?! Harriet was about to get up and close it when she heard the shriek of an owl. The owl had actually come to her! It flew in and gently placed a tiny box on Harriet's lap. With its delivery done, the bird went back out the window turning to pull it shut behind it. That was a well-trained bird.

Harriet opened the box to see a Golden Snitch on a bed of velvet. It was signed by someone. Dimitri… Rington? Harriet pulled out the note and read it.

_Harriet Potter,_

_I am sad to hear about what happened in Quidditch training today. I hope your ankle will get better soon. This Snitch is signed by one of the best seekers to enter the world cup, Dimitri Rington. He won the world cup three times in a row before hanging up his broom. Though I think you could beat him in your sleep, he was still good. If ever you feel that things aren't going well just remember this. Rington was the first wizard in his family in the last five generations, you have a long line of powerful wizards and witches in your line, but you both have one thing in common. You both love the game. And that's all that matters._

_Yours Truly._

Harriet smiled gently as she looked at the snitch, then up as she heard Ron and Hermione come in. She showed them her latest gift and Ron whistled.

"I don't who this guy is, but he must come from some serious money to get something like that." He stated.

Day: 5

Okay, she admitted it, she was interested. Whoever this guy was, he'd gotten her attention. But who would not only do this for her but also have the money to pull it off? None of her friends were that wealthy, and the only ones she could think of that were, were all jerks that wouldn't want anything to do with her. She was sitting in the court yard with Ron and Hermione, watching the snow fall.

A familiar screech made her look up. She lifted her arms just in time to catch her latest present. The box was larger than the one with the Snitch in it, but smaller than the one that had held Starbright. Harriet carefully unwrapped it and opened the lid. Inside was a hand knitted red scarf. She pulled out the note that was laying on top of it a read.

_Harriet Potter_

_This scarf has Phoenix ash imbued into the wool. It'll keep you warm no matter how cold it may get. You have a habit of getting into trouble, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared._

_Yours Truly._

"Smart arse." Harriet muttered. She picked up the scarf and it was warm to the touch. The scarf itself was obviously hand knitted by someone without any experience doing this, it had several holes and there were some stitches that were looser than others. This, however, didn't make Harriet annoyed and the clumsy work, in fact it made her find the gift even more endearing. She wrapped it around her neck feeling the warmth spread through her whole body. So the person sending her the gifts was someone at the school, was wealthy, was a smart arse and had no experience with knitting, or at least doing it by hand. Keep the hints coming Mysterious Secret Admirer.

Day: 6

Harriet smiled and she buried her face into her new scarf. It was so warm. But it was more than just the physical warmth that the magic scarf provided, the person that had sent it could have easily bought a scarf or enchanted a pair of needles to do the job, but instead they had decided to take the time and effort to knit the scarf by hand. However imperfect, that fact made the gift all the more special.

She was sitting at the Gryffindor table for dinner. The other Gryffindors couldn't understand why Harriet like the scarf so much, to them the other gifts seemed a lot more impressive than the clumsily knitted scarf. A very familiar shriek sounded through the hall and Harriet looked up to see the owl of the week come flying in with a small box in its talon. The owl carefully placed the box in front of Harriet and dropped a letter on top of it. Harriet opened the letter.

_Harriet Potter_

_This gift may seem a little bit flashy, but I thought that it would look good on you. Furthermore I thought that it might have been appropriate, after second year._

_Yours Truly._

Harriet opened the box and stared. Inside was a broach, that wasn't anything too impressive, what had Harriet's mouth falling open was that the broach was a exact miniature replica of the sword of Godric Gryffindor, the only difference was that instead of Godric's name being inscribed into the blade it was Harriet's. The broach was of pure silver with rubies fixed into the pommel and hilt, just like the original.

Ron peeked over Harriet's shoulder to get a look and then whistled. "This guy must think really highly of you to get something like that."

Day: 7 Christmas Eve.

Twas the day before Christmas and Harriet was beginning to feel the slight pull of anxiety. Soon the nice ritual of the gifts would stop, and she hadn't been able to give the person one gift in return for all the ones they gave her. The idea that she might end this year without ever knowing or being able to thank the person that had been giving her these gifts gave Harriet a sense of loss.

It was lunch time and she was poking at her food absently when the screech of a familiar owl got her attention this time it was carrying a large flat box. It dropped the box and flew off Harriet pulled of the lid of the box. Inside was a beautiful red and gold dress. Harriet pulled the dress out to get a better look at it. The dress was sleeveless and looked like it was meant to come down to her ankles, majority of the dress was red with gold around the trimming, the only problem was that it looked like it was too big for her.

Harriet spotted the note at the bottom of the box and pulled it out to read.

_Harriet Potter._

_This is my second last gift to you for Christmas. I would like you to wear this to the Hogwarts Christmas Party tomorrow. I will be waiting at the top of the Astronomy Tower to give you your last gift in person. Do not worry about the dress's size it is enchanted to fit the wearer._

_Yours Truly._

Harriet stared at the note a small smile spreading across her face. They wanted to meet her. They wanted to meet her in person. That alone would have been the best gift ever. Ron tried to read the note over Harriet's shoulder but she quickly folded it and tucked it away before he could. She didn't want there to be a whole audience when she met her Secret Santa.

Day: 8 Christmas Day.

Harriet gently smoothed out the wrinkles and creases in her dress. The person that had sent it had been right, when she'd put it on it had shrunk down to fit her perfectly. She was wearing the Sword broach on her chest and had the pendant from the first day around her neck. Satisfied with her appearance she picked up the small wrapped gift that she had prepared the previous day and walked out to join up with her friends.

"Who's the present for?" Ron asked when he saw it.

"Never you mind." Harriet answered simply.

When they got to her party Harriet waited for her two friends to be busy doing something else so that she could slip away to the Astronomy Tower roof. She snuck away, as the two of them were dancing with other students and could no longer see her clearly, and up onto the roof. Harriet looked around hoping that she hadn't missed the Mysterious Secret Santa.

"You're here." A voice said behind her.

Harriet turned around to see a man about her age in a white suit and wearing a white mask that covered his eyes.

He stepped forward and up to Harriet's side. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come."

"I had to wait til my friends were-" She began to explain then broke off. "Bloody hell. Draco Malfoy?"

The man took a step back in shock. There was no mistaking it. The blond hair, the slightly taller visage the gray-blue eyes that were partly visible through the eye holes of the mask. It was Draco Malfoy through and through.

"How did you know?" Draco asked as he pulled off his mask.

"Malfoy, we used to glare daggers at each other of hours on end. You seriously thought that I wouldn't recognize you because I couldn't see your cheek bones?" Harriet asked like it was the dumbest idea in the world.

Draco sighed. "Alright, you got me. Commence with blind rage."

Harriet gave him a quizzical look. "What are you talking about? Malfoy, you may have been an arse in the past, but that's just what it is, in the past. I think we've all done some changing since the war. And I'm not about to let a childish grudge control the rest of my life. I'll listen to your reasons, and then I'll determine whether or not to fly into a blind rage."

Draco smiled at her, he'd forgotten how mature Harriet had become since the war. It had been her that had spoken for him and his mother in front of an entire court.

"Well..." He began.

"Wait." Harriet interrupted. She pulled out the gift from behind her back and handed it to Draco. "Just in case I do fly into a blind rage later."

Draco blinked and carefully opened the present. Inside was a carefully handmade clay Chinese Lung. Draco smiled at this and placed the gift to the side.

"Thank you." He said gently. "I had started this gift giving idea in hopes that it may get your attention. I know I probably wouldn't be your first choice but... if you could perhaps..."

Harriet smile and wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. "Would that happen to be my last Christmas gift?"

Draco smile. "No." He leaned away a little and cupped her cheek. "This is."

With that he gently pressed his lips to hers in a warm and loving kiss. Little did they know that they weren't alone on the roof top and that by tomorrow, their new status would be splashed over every newspaper and magazine know to the wizarding world.


End file.
